Cattle-guard.



G. L. WILGOX.

GATTLE GUARD. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1909.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

l/VI/ENTOR [/aawa j M6026 ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

ANDREW. B. emmm nsna. WASHINGTON. n c.

CLARENCE L. wILcoX, or HOUGHTON,

e. McFEE, or

WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

CATTLE-GUARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

Application filed June 21, 1909. Serial No. 503,546.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE L. VILCOX, a citizen of the United States,residing at Houghton, in the county of King and State of Vashington,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cattle-Guards,

of which the followlng is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in cattle-guards; and its objectis to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive device of thisclass which will effectively prevent cattle from passing over the samefrom grade crossings to the adjacent rights of A still further object isto provide a cattle-guard which is adapted to be conveniently removedfrom the track for cleaning the latter of any rubbish or trash which maybe collected between the track-ties, and for resetting the ties orrepairing the track.

The invention consists in the novel construction, adaptation andcombination of parts as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, where similar reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a planview of a portion of a cattleguard embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view taken through 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional view taken substantially through 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The cattle-guard comprised of central and side sections 5 and 6, whichare respectively located between the track-rails 7 and at the sides, asclearly shown in Fig. 1. Each of these sections is formed of arectangular frame comprised of side members 8 to reach over a number ofthe track crossties 9 as, for example, six; and which members arerigidly connected from their ends with transversely arranged end members10. Said end members are desirably formed of angle bars having theirhorizontal flanges bored to accommodate lag-screws 11 which engage inthe underlying ties for removably securing the frames in place. Fixedlyse cured, as by spikes 12, Figs. 2 and 3, to the ties which areintermediate those which support the end members of the respectivesections are a plurality of chairs 13. These chairs may be constructedof wrought iron or steel and are each formed with a centrally arrangedand upwardly directed loop 14: whence extend diverging legs 15 whichterminate in feet 16 which serve as a support to bear upon theindividual ties. Each chair is provided with a notch 17 which extendsdownwardly from the top of the loop, as illustrated. The chairs arearranged in spaced relation upon the various ties and in such mannerthat those upon the alternate ties will be in longitudinal rows, asshown in Fig. 1. Extending lengthwise of each section is a plurality ofwires 18 which are spaced, say, three inches apart and are hooked overthe frame end members 10, Fig. 2, having their ends threaded throughapertures, such as 20, provided in proximity to the top edges of themembers and to the inside of the latter their extremities are bent tolie against the respective members. These longitudinal wires extendthrough the notches of the respective rows of chairs and are therebysustained at intervals. Apertures, such as 19, are provided near the topedges of said side members and are spaced at, say, four and a halfinches apart or at such distances that certain of them will occur inlines with the axes of the loops of.

the respective transverse rows of chairs 13. Through the apertures 20which are in alinement with the chairs are passed rods 21 to extendabove the wires 18 and through the chair loops to thus engage the frameswith the chairs which, as

secured to the various ties. For convenience in withdrawing said rodsfor releasing the frames one end of each of the rods is bent to affordhandles 22.

Groups of transverse wires 23 are secured to the frame members 8 bybeing engaged in the apertures thereof and having their extremities 2 1bent down against such members, as described with respect to thelongitudinal wires. In the construction of the various sections saidtransverse and longitudinal wires are interwoven by being offset toprovide loops 25, Fig. 2, where they intersect and wherein the crosswires are lodged to secure the wires in their relative positions.

For the purpose of preventing the side members 8 of a frame from beingbent through the tension of the wires 23, braces 26 may advantageouslybe employed for securement with the members and the ties. These bracesmay be constructed of wrought iron or steel and are each formed with alooped top 27 and two legs 28 with terminal before explained, are.

feet 29. One of the said legs is disposed to face with the member 8, butis not secured thereto, while the other leg is directed in an angulardirection to serve as a thrust support. These braces are fixedly securedto the ties by spikes 30, or an equivalent. As illustrated in thedrawings, the braces are disposed in alinement with the transverse rowsof chairs l3 and to accommodate the rods 21 the braces are each providedwith a notch 31.

To remove a cattleguard section requires only the withdrawal of thescrews 11 from the ties, and of the rods 21 from engagement with thechairs to free the same, when it may be lifted up without disturbing thechairs or the braces.

The operation is very simple: Should a cloven-hoofed animal put his footupon a cattle-guard such as described, one of the wires would enterbetween the hoof-toes which would compel the animal to back away toextricate his foot, and consequently safeguards the right-of-way frombeing entered by cattle.

What I claim as my invention, is

1. In a cattle-guard, a rectangular frame, wires extending across saidframe and having their ends secured thereto, supports for said wiresintermediate their lengths, said supports being rigidly secured to theties of a track, and means engageable with said supports for removablysecuring the frame to said ties.

-2. A cattle-guard consisting of central and side sections which areeach composed of a rectangular frame having end and side members, saidend members being provided with flanges which are apertured for boltswhereby the frame is secured to the ties of a track, chairs secured toties intermediate the aforesaid end members, longitudinal wiresconnected from their ends to said end members and supportedintermediately by the respective chairs, and rods removably secured tosaid side members and extending across the frames above saidlongitudinal wires to engage the respective chairs.

3. In a cattle-guard, a frame formed of side members and end memberswhich are rigidly secured together, said end and side members being eachprovided near their top extending longitudinally and transversely of 1the frame and having their ends passed through the apertures of therespective members and secured to the latter, chairs for supmembers, andremovable rods for securing the frame and the wires to said. chairs.

4. A cattle-guard consisting of central and side sections which are eachcomposed of a rectangular frame having end and side with flanges whichare apertured for bolts whereby the frame is secured to the ties of atrack, chairs secured to the ties intermediate the aforesaid ties, Ilongitudinal wires connected at their ends to said end members andsupported intermediately by the respective chairs, transverse wiresconnected at their secured to said side members and extending across theframes above said longitudinal wires to engage the respective chairs,and braces for supporting said side members.-

side members and end members which are said end members to the ties of atrack, said endand side members being each provided near their top edgeswith a series of spaced apertures, wires extending longitudinallyCLARENCE L. \VILCOX.

\Vitnesses: i

PIERRE BARNES, HORACE BARNES.

porting said wires intermediate said end 5. In a cattle-guard, a frameformed of and transversely of the frame and having edges with a seriesof spaced apertures, wires 7 members, said end members being providedends to said side members, rods removably rigidly secured together,means for securing with wires extending thereacross, and a plu-

